healthfutures:

WHY WE WON’T GET COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH REFORM THIS YEAR (in one slide)

The week before Scott Brown’s Massachusetts Senate victory, the Kaiser Family Foundation tracking poll on health reform definitively nailed the public ambivalence with the process. As you can see from the chart, only 30% of those identifying themselves as Democrats strongly supported health reform, while 35% of independents (e.g. the people who elected Barack Obama) strongly opposed.  Overall, strong opponents outnumbered strong supporters 31% to 19%.  After a year, public opinion has hardened, and moderate Dems (e.g. those who need independent voter support to win re-election) see very clearly that they cannot ride this horse to victory. Ambivalent core voters and hostile independent:  time to refocus, reframe… and sharpen the immediate benefits.

My friend and mentor Jeff Goldsmith is now on Tumblr. He’s one of the best health care thinkers in the country and plays a huge role in my life.